


Fifteen Minutes To Spend With Me.

by palledeia



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, They Both Die At The End - Freeform, Who Knows?, dystopian au, i love jeonglix, jeonglix, probably, soft boys because i love them, this is pretty long, yes there’s cute shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 14:13:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19064299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/palledeia/pseuds/palledeia
Summary: WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT THE WORLD WAS GONNA END AND YOU HAD FIFTEEN MINUTES TO SPEND WITH ME OR YOUR FRIENDS?In which Yang Jeongin has not seen his best friend Lee Felix in forever and somehow on this fateful night, he comes back for a fun night out in the abandoned mall.





	Fifteen Minutes To Spend With Me.

**Author's Note:**

> HEAVILY inspired by The Last of Us: Left Behind.

On May 16 2010, the world had given its people a disease outbreak. People had gone mad, people had gone crazy, people had started to _hurt_ others.

All because of a mix of the wrong chemicals.

It started just like in any dystopian-sci fi novel. A social science experiment on its people had gone wrong. It was times like these that made the people back then right to worship idols instead of relying on science which really could be a pain in the ass after all.

Time like these also meant the downfall of orphanages and youth homes. Food which was barely good or available, to begin with, were starting to be rationed more. Kids were starting to get sick. Older kids, on the other hand, were either moved around other homes or even worse, led out with false guidance and left behind to survive on their own.

Yang Jeongin’s best friend Lee Felix had unfortunately faced the latter fate at 13. Jeongin did not even want to think about what happened to the boy. If the universe was willing enough to let the Earth rot with no cure until its final days, what even was the chance of the boy surviving on the cold streets?

His answer had arrived in the most unlikely way possible: a tap on his window. Then, another and another.

Jeongin raised his head from the book he was reading for the millionth time. His eyes narrowed when he saw it: a dark figure cast by shadows perched on his windowsill. The figure knocked on the window even harder. Jeongin was just about to call for help when he realised that the home’s caretakers were out scavenging for food. Jeongin was alone.

Jeongin carefully placed his book down with his right hand and pulled out his pocket knife from his back pocket with his left. He took cautious steps, trying to ignore his thundering heartbeat and his hitched breaths. Then, for a split second the light from the street lamps cast onto the figure, revealing its identity to be a young boy around Jeongin’s age, hair dirty blond, skin pale as ever, eyes dark brown and clothes a mess of fashion.

The pocket knife slipped from Jeongin’s grasp and his small steps changed into a scurry. With a fumble of his hands, he unlocked the window and in pure disbelief, he watched as his best friend from years ago stepped into his room.

There was silence as the two sized each other up. It was obvious that their appearances had gone through many changes throughout those four years of not seeing each other.

“No fucking way,” Jeongin finally uttered. Lee Felix cocked his head to the side and flashed his significant smirk.

“Language, Innie,” Felix warned.

“You even dyed your hair too? How?” Jeongin asked as he ruffled Felix’s hair.

“I just used a hairspray can I found a few days ago,” Felix explained. His eyes lit up suddenly.“Reminds me: we have a lot to catch up on.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Jeongin scoffed and pulled his hands away to place them on his hips. “Where even have you been all these years? I thought you were dead!”

“I’ll tell you later, okay? Now, put on something that isn’t pyjamas and pull on a backpack.”

Jeongin raised an eyebrow.

“And why is that so?”

Felix’s eyes only twinkled in mischief. It was that moment that Jeongin knew, his longtime best friend had something special in store. The same Australian boy who by the way had a history of not so good surprises. Jeongin should be fearing the worst but he was still too shocked to even realise.

“Because we’re going out, dumbass. Pack some snacks, a flashlight, that pocketknife. Usual essentials.” Felix pointed towards the book Jeongin was reading. “And that too if you want.”

“Wow, four years and you still won’t properly answer my questions.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll meet you outside?” Felix nodded towards the door.

“Just as long as we don’t get into trouble.”

“Oh, Innie; since when have we ever?”

———

Jeongin spent the next 23 minutes climbing onto uneven platforms, diving into windows and jumping from rooftop to rooftop as he followed Felix to who knew where. Jeongin was constantly asking questions but his answer was always the same: save it for later. Felix may only be a year older than him but he very well acted like he was so much wiser than Jeongin.

It was only when they had walked on wooden platform connecting the rooftop they were on to enter the window on the second floor of the building opposite that they had-apparently according to Felix-reached their destination.

The room they had landed in had shelves raided, the floor scattered with an assortment of makeup and its light bulb gone. Chairs for customers to try on the makeup laid on the floor and the mirrors were so stained that Jeongin could barely see his reflection. The two boys had landed in a cosmetic store.

“Come on, Jeongin. Don’t we have so much to talk about?” Felix called from the other end of the store where the entrance was.

“Depends. Are you are going to give me answers?” Jeongin responds, tearing his attention away from the store and on Felix who he jogged up to.

“Mayhaps,” Felix said with a shrug when Jeongin reached him. Jeongin punched him in the shoulder playfully, earning a laugh from the boy.

“Alright, alright, alright! Help me lift this then we’ll talk.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

With a heavy lift and a shove of a nearby box under the metal roller shutter, the two boys had managed to escape the cosmetics store and out into the inside of a large building. The platform above told Jeongin that they were on the ground floor. Jeongin surveyed his surroundings. The glass roof was shattered in certain places with its debris scattered onto the grimy floor. Stores lined up the walls and surrounded an abandoned playground. From the corner of Jeongin’s eye, he saw Felix smiling as he awaited his praise.

“You brought me to the mall. Our mall. The same one which we would sneak to every day after school,” Jeongin said, his tone tinged in nostalgia.

“Yeah, I guess I did. But you know what would be better?”

Felix suddenly grabbed Jeongin’s hand, snapping the boy out of his reminiscing state.

“If we could make this place as bright as you are.”

Felix pulled Jeongin along and into yet again another dark room. He trampled onto wires and avoided wires as he followed Felix to the corner of the room where a large box was on the wall. Felix pulled opened the box and it revealed a circuit breaker switch.

“So you know how electricity works right?” Felix asked.

“Of course I do!” Jeongin scoffed in response. He shifted his balance, raised his arms and pulled the switch handle down. The room lit up in response and the clicks of the lights whirring started to get further and further away.

“Did it work?” Jeongin asked. Once again, Felix grabbed the younger one’s hand and pulled him along.

“Why don’t we find out?”

They ran down the corridor, unable to contain their excitement and with a huge shove, the two big doors opened revealing the brightly lit mall. The place which had once looked like the inside of a haunted house had turned into the place Jeongin had remembered from years ago, only now demolished but still. Home was well, home.

“Oh, my God, Jeongin there’s a photo booth,” Felix suddenly exclaimed.

Jeongin looked towards where Felix pointed and he was right. Settled behind the playground was a small purple box with a dark curtain draped as an entrance. With a flurry of giggles, they raced each other to the booth. Felix had won, of course.

“Okay, okay which one do you want to do? Holy shit, they have a space theme! Okay, we are doing that,” Felix babbled as he swiped through the options on the screen before him. Jeongin could only barely process what was going on before him. He had never been in a photobooth before as it always seemed to be occupied whenever he visited the mall with Felix.

“Alright, I’m done.” Felix flopped back onto his seat and turned to face Jeongin. “You ready?”

Jeongin nodded. A countdown flashed onto the screen and the two boys got ready for their first pose which a simple back to back and a cheese sign.

Their second pose was them flashing their funniest faces they could think of at the camera. The light went off and Jeongin had barely enough time to pose when Felix pulled his face closer and planted a kiss on his cheek.

The camera flashed and the editor came onto the screen. Jeongin’s cheek was still tingling from where Felix had kissed him. Whether or not Felix was bothered he did not seem to show it, by editing the photos they had taken. It was not like it was the first time Jeongin had felt such emotions. He always heard the same ringing in his ears whenever Felix hugged him. After all these years, Jeongin still had no idea why.

Felix went out to collect the photo prints and showed them to Jeongin, his hand showcasing as if he was a beauty guru. Jeongin laughed and snatched the photos to see for himself. Their eyes were slightly enlarged with sparkles, their clothes were brighter and their faces and background were decorated with stickers and filters.

“I may or may have not gone overboard while editing the photos,” Felix admitted sheepishly. Jeongin laughed again and nodded profusely in agreement. His eyes landed back onto the prints and the last one, with the small kiss.

“You look so embarrassed in that one,” Felix pointed it out. Jeongin could feel his cheeks flush and the same feeling return. He quickly cleared his throat and placed the photos nimbly into his front pocket.

“So where to?”

They sat themselves down on the playground slides and shared some snacks among themselves. Once comfortable, Felix fished out a deck of UNO from his backpack and set up the game to play while Jeongin finally asked his burning questions.

“So, where have you been all these years?” Jeongin asked as he compiled his seven cards into the usual “fan”.

“I’ve been hiding out with some other kids around my age. They’re really practical and useful for a group of 8, I included.”

Felix placed down a 6, red.

“They allowed you to hang out with me today?”

“Not really. It took some begging but they finally agreed if I took Changbin’s gun and loads of ammo. Oh and Changbin’s like this cool dude? You should see him when he fights, it looks sick!”

Jeongin could unfortunately not fight the sick feeling in his stomach when Felix mentioned Changbin. It always happened whenever Felix mentioned someone other than himself and despite it continuing for 7 years, he still could not comprehend why. Ignoring the feeling, he landed a plus four much to his hyung’s dismay.

“Aish, a plus four? You hate me that much huh? Hasn’t it been four years?”

“Don’t compare this to that. I spent those four years worrying so much about you!” Jeongin exclaimed suddenly with a burst of emotion. He placed his cards down and faced Felix whose face was in shock.

“Jeongin-”

“You didn’t even bother to call or leave a message! You could have been dead and I would have never known! Do you know how many times I asked myself if you were okay? Do you know how many times I doubted if you were even okay?”

“Jeongin. Listen-”

“But I guess I don’t matter that much to you, huh? Too much fun with your fucking buddies to even tell the one you supposedly loved a call. Like was it that hard to say: hey I’m not dead!”

“Yang Jeongin.”

Felix grabbed a hold of Jeongin’s hands which had been flailing about as he rambled on. He pushed Jeongin’s head to the side so Jeongin was looking into Felix’s big, young eyes which always had the same damn effect on him. Every. Single. Time.

“Jeongin. Focus on my words and listen because I’m not going to repeat this.”

“Felix-”

“Nope, not even a word! Okay? Okay. Yang Jeongin, you had gotten me through so much back in the old days and I would never forget that. Trust me, I desperately wanted to see you. I did. But it’s not every day when you’re thirteen and trying to not die for once.

“Yes, I know I should have sent you a letter and trust me I tried. I tried calling the home so many times. No one ever picked up. I tried finding the youth home again but the people led me somewhere so far away that it took me forever to try to retrace my steps.

“Listen to me, Jeongin. I care about you. I do. I would have come back sooner for you if I had known the exact location. I had tried so so hard and I’m sorry that I had not tried enough.”

Felix took a deep breath and exhaled. He closed his eyes and muttered another sorry. Jeongin cringed on the inside. How could have he been so selfish? At least for him, he was given a roof above his head and food despite being nasty was still able to be supplied. As Jeongin let the guilt eat him whole, he slumped forward and threw his arms around Felix into a tight embrace. Felix responded by resting his head onto Jeongin’s shoulder.

“I’m such an idiot,” Jeongin mumbled.

“Don’t say that. You’re not an idiot. You’re here now with me, aren’t you?” Felix mumbled back into Jeongin’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry for snapping earlier. You were only trying to survive in this fucked up world of ours.”

“Yeah? Well, you’re pretty damn cute when you’re not annoyed,” Felix teased, his previous sad scowl curled into a smile. Jeongin softly shoved Felix off him and gave him a look which made the latter chuckle. For the millionth time that day, Jeongin wondered how he could have ever put up with his best friend’s teasings all those years.

That was when it clicked in his head. The jittery feeling whenever he felt Felix’s contact, the ringing in his head, the distaste he felt in his mouth whenever Felix brought up someone else. Yang Jeongin liked Lee Felix. Not just as a friend but more than that and it took four years of the said boy to disappear for his dumbass to even realise. Hell, he might even be in love with the boy. How the fuck do you even know if you’re in love with someone?

“Hey, Jeongin do you have anywhere else that you want to go?” Felix asked suddenly, bringing Jeongin’s attention back. “It’s almost sundown and I really need to go back to my mates.”

Jeongin thought for a while and looked around the mall. Where in the mall would be a perfect place to bring the person you recently discovered profound love for? His eyes rested on Felix for a moment and that was when he knew exactly where to go in this absolute mess of a place. He stood up and motioned for the blond to follow.

“Oh my God, you did not,” Felix breathed out as soon as they reached the place. Jeongin merely beamed and jogged over to a radio which was lying on its back. He had brought Felix to a small performance space where citizens were able to showcase their talents. Jeongin and Felix had performed all the time back then. They danced, sung and even rapped sometimes. They mostly did all three at the same time.

Felix set off to find some CDs lying around in the store nearby and returned with a few albums. They looked through their options together. Gorillaz. Coldplay. An artist Jeongin had never heard of, Mike Krol. He pointed that album out saying he did know him; Felix only gasped in shock.

“Have you been living under a rock all this time? Alright, we’re listening to this one.” Felix slipped out the CD and inserted it into the radio. He pressed a few buttons and the radio crackled to life. “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my absolute favourite song of all time.”

_What if I told you that the world was gonna end?_

_And you had fifteen minutes to spend with me or your friends._

Felix tore Jeongin from the ground and they were up and about. Hips swaying, hopping up and down and bobbing their heads to the music. Felix began to scream the lyrics while Jeongin was smiling so much that his cheeks were starting to hurt. The energy he always felt whenever the two performed had returned causing himself to dance even more.

The music slowly crossfaded into something less intense and slowed down the boy’s movements. Jeongin stopped dancing and gazed at Felix. There he was in all of his beauty, with his dirty blond hair swishing from side to side as the boy moved and his skin despite in a pretty dim area glowing oh so fair. The said boy realised his best friend was not dancing anymore and slowed to a stop, his expression curious.

“Hey, Jeongin? Are you okay?” His voice light, timbre, angelic. Jeongin only remained silent and stepped closer. Felix’s freckles were so much closer and detailed. Jeongin looked up into Felix’s eyes. They were pretty. He was pretty.

“Don’t go,” Jeongin finally managed to mutter. There was a beg in his tone. A plead. Anything for Felix to stay.

Felix breathed a sharp intake. He grabbed Jeongin’s hands and clasped them with his. Then, without thinking Jeongin leaned in and his lips crashed into Felix’s soft, plump ones. He felt a shift of movement and soon Felix was kissing him back. The love of his life. His best friend. His everything. Nothing else in the whole world mattered to him then.

They pulled away after a while much to Jeongin’s reluctance to catch their breath. While they may have been in close proximity, Jeongin still felt like Felix was so far. He hated that. He just wanted Felix to be close to him. He never wanted to leave Felix.

“So, that was something,” Felix spoke, his voice so delicate in his low, deep voice that Jeongin swore he was going to melt on the spot.

“I’m not really that sorry,” Jeongin replied.

Felix smiled.

“You know I’ve always kind of felt the same way for so long that I was beginning to lose a little hope.”

Felix pulled Jeongin’s head forward so their foreheads were touching. A little hard to do since Felix was a little shorter but still, it worked. And it was fucking nice too so who was Jeongin to even complain?

Suddenly, there was a loud crash and a loud growl. Jeongin whipped his head around to see the worst thing that could ever ruin the peaceful moment between the two. An Eater. Hungry. On its toes, ready to strike. It broke into a sprint heading straight for Felix.

Jeongin barely registered what happened next. The Eater had pushed Jeongin to the ground. He could feel a sting in his hand before Felix managed to hook himself onto the Eater. Felix was screaming and struggling to keep the Eater under his grasp. Jeongin was panicking. What the hell was he supposed to do? He looked everywhere in the room for something; anything. His eyes landed on Felix’s backpack.

Bingo.  
He slid towards it, pried it open and fished out the gun. Jeongin did not hesitate. He cocked the gun and shot multiple times until the Eater went limp. Motionless. Felix shoved the Eater off him.

“A-a-are you okay?” Felix stuttered. Jeongin nodded in between deep breaths. He looked down to where he felt a sting and that was when he realised it.

A bite on his right hand.

“No. No. No. No. No,” Jeongin said, panic rising in his chest. He looked at Felix, his eyes widened in fear. Felix remained silent and only gave Jeongin a sympathetic look. Felix raised his own arm and there it was: a bite.

Jeongin did not know what to feel. Anger? Sadness? Relief? All he knew was that his life was on the line and sooner or later he was going to die.

“Sit here with me, Jeongin,” Felix said, patting the space next to him on the stage. Jeongin complied.

“What the hell do we do now?” Jeongin murmured.

Felix’s silence was an obvious answer. They were going to die. Who else in the world was lucky enough to even escape death?

Felix rested his head on Jeongin’s shoulder. Jeongin reached for Felix’s hand. It was a classic Romeo and Juliet ending. Hopeless romantics so blinded by love to even care about their looming ends.

“I love you, Jeongin.”

The sting on Jeongin’s hand started to hurt even more but he carried on holding Felix’s hand. Felix’s embrace was all he ever needed nevertheless. He closed his eyes and smiled sadly.

“I love you too, Felix.”

**Author's Note:**

> follow my twitter: @felixiers if y'all want uwu :')


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